China Eastern Falls to Five-Month Low on Air China Outlook"China Eastern Airlines Corp. (CEA) (CEA), the nation's second-largest carrier by passenger numbers, fell to a five-month low in New York as larger competitor Air China Ltd. (753) said passenger growth may slow this year and on a report that the government may raise jet fuel prices for April."

A crumbling empire and its demands are rapidly becoming irrelevant. See next article. -- RF

Brazil to rally BRICS against rich countries"Brazil will push for its large emerging-market peers including China to denounce what it sees as unfair monetary policies by Europe and the United States, raising the stakes in a global confrontation over economic imbalances."Saudi diplomat kidnapped in Yemen: security source"Gunmen kidnapped Saudi Arabia's deputy consul from outside his residence in the southern Yemeni port city of Aden on Wednesday, a Yemeni security official said."

"In Lahore, protesters blocked roads by burning tyres at the Laxmi Chowk, Baghbanpura and Ichhra areas. All markets, shops and business centres were closed during the protests while a large number of protesters also attacked the Lahore Electric Supply Company (Lesco), Ferozpur road circle and set the office record, furniture and computers on fire."

Airport closed in violent rally (Indonesia)"Protests across the archipelago turned violent on Monday, culminating in the storming of Polonia International Airport in Medan, North Sumatra, which disrupted flights and left hundreds of passengers stranded."

Protests against Italy's Monti rising"Italy's three main trade union federations will hold a joint protest rally against Prime Minister Mario Monti's economic reforms on April 13, the head of the country's largest union, Susanna Camusso, said on Tuesday."

"Radiation inside the reactor 2 containment vessel at the Fukushima No. 1 nuclear plant has reached a lethal 73 sieverts per hour and any attempt to send robots in will require them to have greater resistance than currently available, experts said Wednesday."

## China ##China to unify descriptions of islands on maps"China plans to unify map descriptions of islands in the East China Sea and the South China Sea--including the Senkaku Islands--to strengthen its arguments in territorial disputes, local newspapers said March 27."

Higher gasoline prices could stem travel plans"Rising gasoline prices in the United States could lead business and leisure travelers to cut back on travel plans, which in turn could have implications for airlines, hotels and retailers, a survey found."